Detroit Lions Playoff Picture: Here’s Why the Seahawks Just Helped Detroit
It almost happened, but not quite. If the Seattle Seahawks had fallen to the Philadelphia Eagles last night (Dec. 18), the Detroit Lions would have automatically been in the playoffs. Dry those tears, though, Lions fans. There’s a huge silver lining here. In fact, many Lions fans were rooting for a Seattle win, myself included, because it opens up the Lions’ chances to snag the No. 2 seed in the NFC. What’s more, the Lions still have a better than 99% chance to qualify for the playoffs, so why not just go for the No. 2 seed, knowing the playoffs will come? Here’s the current Detroit Lions playoff picture and why the Seahawks just helped Detroit.
The Lions won their last game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday night (Dec. 16) at Ford Field. The final score was 42-17, so it was a definitive win. It was so wild to see Russell Wilson and the Broncos at the mercy of the Lions. Now, as aforementioned, the Lions would have snagged an instant playoff spot if the Eagles had won on “Monday Night Football.” But, the Eagles decided to tap Matt Patricia to make defensive calls, and we all knew how that would end. What were they thinking? So, the Eagles lost. That takes their record to 10-4, which is the same as the Lions.
Here’s the great thing about Seattle winning and how it will help the Detroit Lions playoff picture. Now, the Lions have a chance to get the No. 2 seed in the conference and possibly get a second playoff home game. That instantly happens if they win their final three games, even if the Eagles win their final three games. Of course, we’re playing the Cowboys in Texas, so that’s a tall order. But, the Cowboys have shown they are very beatable. Also, Detroit could even get the No. 1 seed, but for that scenario, the San Francisco 49ers would have to lose two of their final three games. Even though the 49ers are strong, they could lose two, as they have two challenging teams up ahead: the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams.
All of that said, the most important game coming up for the Lions is this Sunday in Minnesota. If the Detroit Lions win that game, they’ll not only get a playoff spot, but they’ll also earn the division title for the first time in 30 years. Of course, the Lions could go up against Matthew Stafford and the L.A. Rams in the playoffs, which I would hate. I really don’t want to see a Stafford vs. Goff showdown. I personally favor Jared Goff, which you know if you read my articles or listen to my podcast, “The Squad with Anne Erickson.” But, Stafford is like that ex who you just want to avoid. But, let’s just enjoy this ride for the moment. Go Lions. Reach out to me with your thoughts on socials here.